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Sainsbury’s launches electric vehicle loyalty scheme | Updated DLR trains delayed | US interest rates
Sainsbury’s has become the first retailer in the UK to offer a loyalty scheme for charging electric vehicles.
Customers who use the Smart Charge service will be able to accumulate Nectar points for this.
Launching today, the system allows customers to earn one Nectar point for every £1 spent charging their car.
Smart Charge is an ultra-fast electric vehicle charging network with over 400 charging bays.
“With bays in more locations than ever before and Sainsbury’s stores conveniently located everywhere, it’s never been easier for electric vehicle drivers across the UK to access lightning-fast facilities, and now they too can reap the benefits of Nectar points ,” said Patrick Dunne, director of property, purchasing and EV ventures at Sainsbury’s.
London’s new DLR trains have been delayed due to “challenges” discovered in the testing phase.
This may mean that the reduced service in place may continue for longer than expected.
In total, 30 new trains have been built and are in various stages of testing, according to the June Report of the Transport Commissioner for London.
It states that work is continuing to prepare the first train, which should be operational at the end of 2024 – the launch was originally scheduled for March.
Problems were observed in the “integrated testing and operational proof phase,” the report states.
“While we have faced some challenges at this stage, we continue to work collaboratively with our suppliers and operators to mitigate these.”
By 2026, the DLR is still on track to have 54 new trains, which will feature USB ports, air cooling technology and real-time operational information.
Arran Rusling, head of TfL’s DLR rolling stock replacement programme, said: “Our rigorous testing program continues on the new DLR fleet to ensure trains can enter service safely and reliably.
“As part of this we have encountered some complex challenges, which means we will now begin to introduce the new trains into passenger service later this year.”
US interest rates are expected to be cut just once this year, according to updated forecasts from its central bank.
The cost of US debt remained at its highest level in more than 20 years, despite yesterday’s news that inflation, the rate of price increases, fell to its lowest level in more than three years of 3 .4%.
The Federal Reserve has published new guidance from its interest rate setting committee, which expects only one rate cut this year. Just three months ago, three cuts were planned.
While UK interest rate setters at the Bank of England don’t provide rate forecasts like the US, market expectations are for three rate cuts this year, according to market data from Refinitiv.
The first of these cuts is scheduled for September. Previously, the first cut in more than four years was expected to come in May – but interest rates were kept at 5.25%.